Portable recording device



Septo 26, 1950 R. s. BoNsALL PORTABLE RECORDING DEVICE 2 SheeiS--Sheeil 1 Filed Nov. l5, 1945 FIGB ROBERT STEWART BONSALL FIG. 2

Sept 26,1950 R. s. BONSALL 2,523,340

PORTABLE RECORDING DEVICE Filed Nov. l5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rvvwn&o ROBERT STEWART BON SALL @MSM/wang Patented Sept. 26, 1950 PORTABLE RECORDING DEVICE Robert Stewart Bonsall, United States Navy Application November 15, 1945, Serial No. 1628,947

mamma under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April so, 192s; 37o o. G. 757) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to portable recording devices which are particularly adaptable for pocket size construction.

The object of this invention is to construct a recording device having a compact arrangement of parts, and being light in weight, small enough to carry about the person and ready for instant use for either recording or playing back records.

Another object is to construct a portable recording device featuring simplicity, compactness and versatility, along with good delity and ease of operation.

Another object is to .provide a pocket size portable recording and play-back device operated by a spring motor and having a compartment for spare recording discs.

Other and more specific objects will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description of one form of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 isa rear view of the presentdevice;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof, taken at the line '2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the device on a reduced scale, opened up to show the arrangement of parts on the inside thereof; Y

Figs. 4 and 5 are two views of the diaphragm unit used, and 1 Figs. 6 and 7 are two detail views of the spindle-locking feature for holding the disc on the rotor drive plate.

Referring to the several views in the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals, the case I opens like a book about the hinges 2, and when closed may be carried by a handle 3. The front, or cover, 4 has a grated opening 5 near the top for the transmission of sounds into or out of the horn element or sound tube 6. The spring motor 1 is mounted on the inside of the cover below the grated opening, and its handle or shaft 8 extends through the cover and has a winding key 9 mounted thereon. The winding key 9 is hinged so that it may be folded away as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 2, with its handle I inserted into a pocket II formed in the cover. The starting push button I2 with means for locking it in depressed or operative position is provided on the edge of the cover and may be held depressed manually, or locked in depressed position for continuous operation. The motor has a rotor drive plate I3 with a square spindle I4 over which the disc I5 is mounted, and a locking device I6 for holding the disc in place. The horn element 6 is pivotally mounted on a spring friction bearing I1 on the rear wall of the case Aas shown concentrically with the grated opening 5 when the case is closed, so that the large end I8 of the horn always registers with this opening. The body of the horn or sound tube is flattened as shown at I9 and has a diaphragm unit 20 mounted therein, as by a screw connection 2l. The diaphragm' unit comprises a diaphragm frame 22 in which the diaphragm 23 is mounted and a needle arm 24 fastened at one end to this frame and having conventional means (as shown) for holding the needle at the other end; it is connected to the center of the diaphragm by a threaded lug '25 made integral with it, which is adjustably fastened to the diaphragm by nuts 26. On the opposite or back side of this flattened portion of the horn is a threaded opening 21 and a tensioned roller 28 which is resiliently held against the back of the case. The back of the case has an arcuate slot-29 arranged concentrically with the friction bearing I 'I and has graduation marks 30 along its side to show the position of the needle relative to the beginning and end of a particular record. A lock and play-back control knob 3l having a threaded stem 32 which is passed through this slot is threaded into the' threaded opening 21 on the back of the flattened portion of the hornelernent. A-compartment 33 is partitioned 01T in the lower part of the back of the case for ext'ra recording discs.

In order to prepare this device for operation, the case is opened, a recording disc is removed from the compartment 33, placed over the spindle I4 and locked in place by the locking device I6. A recording needle is inserted in the recordingarm 24, the case is closed, the motor wound up by means of the winding key 9, and the needle set into starting position by means of the lock and play-back control knob 3l. now ready for use in recording.

In order to operate the device, the starting button I2 is depressed and held down as long as is necessary, causing the motor to operate; or the starting button may be locked in depressed ,position as long as desired, making it unnecessary to keep a pressure thereon throughout the operation. To stop the recording, the starting button is released, stopping the motor, and the device is ready for any further operation in like manner until therecord is used up, as may be indicated by the position of the lock and playback control knob with reference to the scale 30 on the side of the slot 29. When one disc is used up, it may be removed and placed in the storage The device is invention, and many modifications in the several parts and in their arrangementmay bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, as dened in the ar'ipendedv claims. For example, for the spring motor there maybe substituted an electrical or magnetic motor; -the disc record and needle typeY of Sound head may be replaced by a magnetic Wire recordanjd almagnetic sound head, etc., without' changing the cornbination as a whole.

The .inventiongdescribed therein' maybe -manu ifactured and used Y,by Yor 'ior :the l'Government'of .thefl'lnited States of flmericaifor governmental purposes withoutthe payment ofany'royalties :thereon or therefor.

*What is1claimed is:

1. :Arecording devicecomprising a case having a hinge-d cover with-a grated opening-therein in `its upperjportion and Aa spring motor mounted on` thefinside'thereof in its'fmid. prticmgaVv motor winding shaft extendingthroughfsaid 'cover and a winding key'- attached t'heretofsaid winding -key being foldable so`A as -to '.-disposefo'f the projecting handle'by insertion into ia pocket-formediinsaid lcover when-notin use,-a 'sound'tube havingzits large lend openingl registering with' said .grated openinginthe cover -Whentheicase isclosed and pivotally mounted onzthe @rear vwalltof 'said-case concentrically withl said'gratedopening, vand'having -a flattenedY portion extending? along the 'back of the case, 'adiaphragm unit 'mounted in @the front-wall of saidflattened portion including `a diaphragm frame with a needl-e arm fastenedzto itat one end andhaving meansiiorhol'ding Aa. needle at its-other end, its middl'eyp'ortion cbeing adjustably fastened "to vthe "center lfof thewdiaphragm, saidmotor having a --rotor drive plate and a squarespindflewfor mounting -afrecording disc, and lock-ing means -on said spindleiforfholding the recording disc in-place therecn',:an1ar cuate slot inthe rear 'wall'of'said-caseconcentricwith the pivotV ofthe sound'tube and-.gradinated to :indicateL4 the position of ythe yneedle with respect to'its travel over therecording disc, fa

lock and play-'back conrol knob havinga stem:

passed through'saidfslot .-andthreaded into the back of the ilattenedportion of=said sound tube, a tensioned roller mounted ,on said-Hattenedgpor.- tion and pressing. against the .rear wallof said case for tensioningftheneedle.against `therecording disc, and a compartmentfonextra-recording discs partitioned .01T at the'lcwer portion of the rear wallof said case.

COVER 2. Apparatusof the class described comprising a case having a cover, a backwall with associated end and side walls, said cover hingedly mounted on one of said side Wa1lsa turntable rotatably mounted on the inside of said cover and adapted to receive a recording disc for rotation therewith, a substantially circular opening in said cover laterally off-set from said turntable and a hollow arm positioned in said case with one end in substantially concentric communication with said opening, said arm having a pivotal connection to fsai'dibackwalliin axial alignment with said openin g and carrying a sound conversion device adapted ,t0 cooperate with said recording disc on said "turntable, whereby said disc and turntable arereadily accessible and free of said hollow arm upon said opening cover. Y

l3. Aportable sound recording device characterized by ready accessibility of its component parts,

comprising a case havingva cover, a backwall with associated end and l'side walls, said. cover hingedly mounted on one-of `saidsidewalls, a turntable rotatably mounted on theinsi'deof said' cover *and adapted to receivefa'recording disc vhaving aso'und trackfor `rotation therewith, saidlcover provided -with a substantially Acircular opening laterally oi-set from -said turntable,A a'hollow aim'having an enlargedopen end Aand asmaller closed endin said case, said openrend in substantially concentric alignment. and coincidence with said circular-opening, a sound conversion device supported by said hollow arm'overfsaid smaller `en'd adapted 'tto contact `and `follow said sound track,.a pivotal connection supporting said hollowharm on said'backwall, .said :pivotal `connection being substantially 'iin axial alignment with the circular opening' in said `cover and'spring 'biased roller means-mounted'onrthe smaller end of sai'd-a'rm'adapteid to' bear 'uponthe surfacev of saidbackwall to' urge .said sound4 conversion device into contact with and to follow'said. sound track whereby, as saidturntable rotates,`said sound conversion device follows said sound track onV said disc,the enlarged'open end of saidhollowarm rotatesabout said'pivotal connectionin substantial alignment -withtthe opening in VVsaid ROBERT STEWART'BONSAEL.

:REFERENCES CITED The following references areV of record jnvtlie UNITED.e'rAr'iis.y PATENTS I 

